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carry on pills

are you allowed to carry on vitamins, aspirins, cold medication, etc. do they have to be in their original bottles? I usually take just what I need in one of these pill containers with lots of compartments, including prescription stuff. Is that still allowed or need to bring original larger bottles even for a few days trip?

The TSA has added to their list of rules that medications must be in containers with "professionally issued" label matching name of traveler. That said, I have not heard of anyone ever having a problem with pill containers - but who knows what they will want to question these days.

Since you seem to be carrying some medications you do not need every day (such as cold medications), I might buy a small size of these and/or put in any checked luggage.

As an RN I have always wondered about the "original bottle" thing. TSA people, even if they opened prescription bottles, are not pharmacists, and what would stop me from putting any pill in an old prescription bottle.

True - but has anyone ever heard of a passenger traveling with legitimate medication being referred to DEA? And does DEA have any rules about carrying medications in original bottles? Point I was making was while there are "rules", I think if there was an issue with unmarked pills, someone here would have posted an outraged message about it.

Brings up all sorts of interesting questions about what laws are regarding prescription medication transport that I have no answer to.

I was subjected to a rigorous "drug mule profile" search returning from Schipol to DFW in the early 90's (should have left the blazer in my carry-on).
The customs folks were delighted to find a few meds until they were informed I was a licensed physician practicing in Dallas. That ruined their afternoon.
M

In the early 1990's, my high school aged son was stopped leaving the UK at Heathrow because of the hypodermic needle in his Anakit. He was dressed in scruffy jeans and a jean jacket, and the Anakit label was worn, though ultimately legible. He was given an extended search despite this, and we barely made the plane. After that he dressed better when traveling and has never had a problem since. Probably an anomaly but worth noting. It may have been the same trip when UK authorities probed our talcum powder boxes (from Floris!) and other cosmetics and personal items for false bottoms, using long needles which they then measured against the tins. I was glad they were vigilant, but I still wonder what we did to get profiled.

Just back from Zurich yesterday - Security there would not allow me to take on board the caps on my prescription bottles - their interpretation of U.S. rules is that it is not allowed because you can use the bottle and cap to "Mix" explosive liquids. The screener gave me plastic gloves to put my bottles into and kept the tops!

They took the bottle top, not the drugs. You could put the bottle in a ziploc bag and then if they do take the top then it will be ok because it will be in the bag.

You could put a second stash in your checked baggage, that wouldn't hurt. But that would mean taking 2 times, plus, more than what you will need and that could be expensive. You are connecting in Zurich, but it sounded like the other poster originated in Zurich, so that is in your favor. And, of course, you will know that your checked luggage is tagged ok and can expect it to show.

I always take meds in my carry-on and also in my checked bag. I have a few extra in my purse in a pill container but guess that won't be allowed anymore.
A friend had his carry-on robbed in Italy on a street as it sat next to his feet!
I am very paranoid about losing my pills so I take an extra supply.

It wasn't the airline that required we remove the tops from my prescription bottles (and my bottle of Excedrin as well) it was their equivalent to our TSA. I still had my medications - just no tops on them - bring a ziploc bag!

I've been reading the posts about prescription pills having to be in their original containers with the name of medication, and the person's name who it's prescribed for on the label...... My question - all these posts are from August of 2006....... is this still true now? For flights in the USA and not going to a foreign country? I'm traveling between US cities and this is the first time since the ban on gels, etc...... Do I have to put my prescription pills in their original bottles or can I just use the 7 day convenient pill holders that I have always used? Oh my, this is so complicated! I want to do anything possible to avoid checking luggage! Thanks for any help you can give...

I also have asthma inhalers and prescription nasal sprays that I need on the plane, not checked.... Thanks

Hi, I don't travel much and I'll be traveling to the Dominican Republican in a May. I also have about 14 prescription medications, including inhalers, etc. What do I do with the inhalers? I keep my daily pills in little cubbies, but if I bring the bottles too I will probably fill my carry-on suitcase to the brim. Any ideas?
Please, baby step me though this, I never travel, and I worry alot!

Femme9 - read the info above. While the official rule is in professionally labeled bottles, it is rare to have medication challenged when carried in self-prepared pill boxes.

If you want to be more cautious, you could ask your MD to write and sign a list of your medications for you to carry - or the pharmacy from where you get your medications could print you a list.

Inhalers get carried as is, unless you happen to have saved the box it comes in and then you could bring that - either with the inhaler inside or flattened since it usually carries the label, not the inhaler itself.

The most cautious thing to do is to bring the original bottles - but I agree that that is usually not practical and few people who take large numbers of medication do that.

I re-emphasize my caution above - if you are taking any often abused medications - usually narcotic pain relievers (Percocet, Dilaudid, Morphine, Oxycontin type medications) I would bring them in original professionally labeled bottles.

If you are just traveling in the U.S. then just take your pills with you. I don't know what the TSA webpage says, but I've been taking pills (cold medicine, ibuprofen, melatonin, prescription) with me on flights. Sometimes I put the various stuff in one bottle or maybe in a zip lock (for my convenience because then the baggie lies flat in my bag and the pills don't rattle around in the plastic bottle).

The TSA is not the DEA. What would they care if the pill was aspirin or a controlled substance and how would they know. I've taken pills on planes, never in prescription bottles even when they were prescriptions, and the TSA never looked at them and never cared. I did this today, and last Friday, and at least two dozen other times since August.

I just noticed that rkkwan sasit it all, about pills, in the first reply to the OP. Security doesn't care but customs might.

Including customs in foreign country. The travel.state.gov website has consular information sheets that discuss taking drugs into a foreign country. For example, Japan has a couple of unusual rules. Still, I haven't had any problem taking pills there (am not taking a drug dealing amount, after all).

One time, my bag got searched on arrival to Japan from Korea and the agent took particular interest in a bottle of liquid Pepto Bismol that I had. I said "medicine" and rubbed my belly and (I think) he understood and let me enter.